The sole published expose of one of racing's most famous secret activities. Originally published in 1972, Chevrolet-Racing? reveals the inside story of Chevrolet's early surreptitious involvement in racing, from 1957-1970. This re-issue of the collector's classic tells the fascinating story of how, from 1957 to 1970, Chevrolet probably acquired more successes and more technical knowledge of high performance than any other company in the world. Ironically, they never built a complete, running, race-ready vehicle; nor were ever officially represented at a race, and they never claimed credit for any Chevy products in racing wins, or promoted them in advertising for all that time. How did they accomplish what they did? This book reveals the untold story.

The small-block Chevrolet is easily the most popular V-8 engine ever built. It was introduced in 1955, and remained in production until the mid-1990s, powering legendary cars such as the 1955-1957 Chevys, Camaros, Impalas, Novas, Chevelles, and of course, the most popular sports car of all time, the Corvette. Of course, whether restoring or modifying one of these classics, the time comes when your small-block Chevy needs rebuilding. This updated version of Small-Block Chevrolet: Stock and High-Performance Rebuilds is a quality, step-by-step Workbench book that shows you how to rebuild a street or racing small-block Chevy in your own garage. It includes more than 600 color photos and easy-to-read text that explains every procedure a professional builder uses to assemble an engine, from crankshaft to carburetor. Detailed sections show how to disassemble a used engine, inspect for signs of damage, select replacement parts, buy machine work, check critical component fit, and much more! Performance mods and upgrades are discussed along the way, so the book meets the needs of all enthusiasts, from restorers to hot rodders. Small Block Chevrolet: Stock and High-Performance Rebuilds is a must-have for every small-block Chevy fan.

This revised reprint of a classic title covers the history and development of the racing Corvettes, from the car’s beginnings in the 1950s with just 250 horsepower, through the Corvette GTP of the 1980s, with over 1000 horsepower, and on to 1996, when 4th generation cars give way to the 5th generation. Included are many interviews with the drivers who raced these exciting, weighty and always fast cars, including John Greenwood, Dick Gulstrand, Jerry Grant and ‘Fast’ Phil Curring, amongst others. The book is illustrated with many quality photographs, supplied by General Motors and well-known motoring photographers; it also contains detailed specifications of the production cars, and road test reports.

Renowned engine builder and technical writer David Vizard turns his attention to extracting serious horsepower from small-block Chevy engines while doing it on a budget. Included are details of the desirable factory part numbers, easy do-it-yourself cylinder head modifications, inexpensive but effective aftermarket parts, the best blocks, rotating assembly (cranks, rods, and pistons), camshaft selection, lubrication, induction, ignition, exhaust systems, and more.

The small-block Chevy is widely known as the most popular engine of all time. Produced in staggering numbers and boasting huge aftermarket support, small blocks are the engine of choice for a large segment of the performance community. Originally published as two separate volumes, Small Block Chevy Performance 1955-1996 now covers the latest information on all Gen I and Gen II Chevy small blocks, this time in one volume. This book continues to be the best power source book for small-block Chevy. The detailed text and photos deliver the best solutions for making your engine perform. Extensive chapters explain proven techniques for preparing blocks, crankshafts, connecting rods, pistons, cylinder heads, and much more. Other chapters include popular ignition, carburetor, camshaft, and valvetrain tips and tricks.

This new color edition is essential for the enthusiast who wants to get the most performance out of this new engine design but is only familiar with the older Chevy small-blocks. Covered is everything you need to know about these engines, including the difficult engine removal and installation, simple engine bolt-ons, electronic controls for the Generation III engine, and detailed engine builds at four different power levels.

Who won the first Daytona 500? Fans still debate whether it was midwestern champion Johnny Beauchamp, declared the victor at the finish line, or longtime NASCAR driver Lee Petty, declared the official winner a few days after the race. The Ghosts of NASCAR puts the controversial finish under a microscope. Author John Havick interviewed scores of people, analyzed film of the race, and pored over newspaper accounts of the event. He uses this information and his deep knowledge of the sport as it worked then to determine what probably happened. But he also tells a much bigger story: the story of how Johnny Beauchamp—and his Harlan, Iowa, compatriots, mechanic Dale Swanson and driver Tiny Lund—ended up in Florida driving in the 1959 Daytona race. The Ghosts of NASCAR details how the Harlan Boys turned to racing cars to have fun and to escape the limited opportunities for poor boys in rural southwestern Iowa. As auto racing became more popular and better organized in the 1950s, Swanson, Lund, and Beauchamp battled dozens of rivals and came to dominate the sport in the Midwest. By the later part of the decade, the three men were ready to take on the competition in the South’s growing NASCAR circuit. One of the top mechanics of the day, Swanson literally wrote the book on race cars at Chevrolet’s clandestine racing shop in Atlanta, Georgia, while Beauchamp and Lund proved themselves worthy competitors. It all came to a head on the brand-new Daytona track in 1959. The Harlan Boys’ long careers and midwestern racing in general have largely faded from memory. The Ghosts of NASCAR recaptures it all: how they negotiated the corners on dirt tracks and passed or spun out their opponents; how officials tore down cars after races to make sure they conformed to track rules; the mix of violence and camaraderie among fierce competitors; and the struggles to organize and regulate the sport. One of very few accounts of 1950s midwestern stock car racing, The Ghosts of NASCAR is told by a man who was there during the sport’s earliest days.

Chevy’s Corvette is without question one of the most recognized sports cars in the world. Since its introduction at GM’s Motorama, Corvettes have been favorites for fans and drivers in a wide variety of racing venues, including endurance events, hillclimbs, Trans-Am, drag racing, and GT Racing. For six decades, Corvettes have battled and defeated some of the the biggest names in the sports car world—Ferrari, Porsche, Cobra, Jaguar—at storied road courses like Le Mans, Daytona, the Nürburgring, Sebring, and Laguna Seca. Beginning with the Real McCoy, a Zora Arkus-Duntov special raced at Sebring in 1956, this book draws on the history of factory-sponsored and private racing efforts, chronicling the history of the various Vettes that have been put to the test as racing machines. Noted automotive writer and renowned artist David Kimble delves deep into Vette’s on-track history to provide the most thorough Corvette racing history ever published. Corvette Racing is illustrated with rare images from GM’s media and design archives and complemented by Kimble’s own stunning cutaway artwork. For Corvette and racing fans, this book is the definitive word on Corvette’s nearly 60 years of competition.

The 1960s were a fascinating decade on the race scene. Relive the memories today through this wonderful new book. Drag racing has a long and storied history. Many have said that the first drag race happened shortly after the second car was made. While that may or may not be true, racing prior to World War II was mostly centered around dry-lake activities and top-speed runs. After the war, drag racing became organized with the formation of the NHRA, and during the 1950s, many tracks were built across America to accommodate the racers. Technology in the 1950s centered on the manufacturers updating old flathead designs into newer overhead-valve designs, and the horsepower race really started to heat up. In many forms of racing, the 1960s brought technological evolution. The decade began with big engines in even bigger stock chassis and ended with purpose-built race-only chassis, fiberglass bodies, fuel injection, nitro methane, and blowers. Quarter-mile times that were in the 13-second range in the beginning of the decade were in the 7-second range by the end. New classes were formed, dedicated cars were built for them, and many racers themselves became recognized names in the sports landscape. In Drag Racing in the 60s: The Evolution in Race Car Technology, veteran author Doug Boyce takes you on a ride through the entire decade from a technological point of view rather than a results-based one. Covered are all the classes, including Super Stocks, Altered Wheelbase cars (which led to Funny Cars), Top Fuelers, Gassers, and more.